Bittersweet Stained Sunshine
by Vesper Rose
Summary: Zero is the only one who knows of Kaname's whereabouts when he disappears after killing Aidou's father. Of course, it wasn't like he wanted to know...he really had no choice. Set after chapter 68. K Z,Z K friendship


Voila! :D A one shot. This popped into my head a while back, when I read 68th Night of the manga. I just hadn't gotten around to writing it until now. Kaname and Zero are _friends_ (well...as much as they _can_ be friends...so more like acquaintances) in this, **not lovers**. Sorry! :3 But think of it like this...this is the start of their relationship. :D Right? Right?

Oh, and Kaname is a tad bit OOC...but it's necessary. :) Don't sue me! D:

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><p>He moved swiftly, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to assure himself no one was following him. Not a single soul was roaming about the town, and as the wind blew there was not a sound of shuffling from any direction. The night was as silent as the mute…which made part of him paranoid. While the other half of him didn't necessarily <em>care<em>, because in retrospect, none of it was actually _his_ problem. But of course, he had been dragged into it because of his one reason for existence (though he refused to admit it): Yuuki Kuran.

Zero Kiryu wandered through the silent town, already nearing the deserted are of the town. Every time he came to this place, he couldn't help but think of how cliché it really was. A vampire on the run (often from the hunters) hiding in an abandoned area – close enough to town to find humans to feed on, which in turn provided shelter in case of danger. And he couldn't help but think it ironic – him helping the very being he wished to erase from the earth.

With a last glance over his shoulder, Zero removed a brick from a rotting building. He pressed the hidden switch in the wall and replaced the brick. With a shudder and a clank, a part of the wall created an entrance into the building. The hunter stepped inside quickly, waiting for the door to close before continuing.

Zero walked through the dark hall with ease, coming across another door. He opened it, revealing a flight of stairs. Taking one step and shutting the door behind him, Zero proceeded, removing the bag that had been hidden in his trench. As he entered yet another room, Zero tossed the bag to the figure on the bed that caught it just before it hit his face.

Kaname Kuran sat up and set a heated glare at the hunter, who had made himself comfortable on the chair across from the bed.

"I'd truly appreciate it if you _knocked_ before you entered, Kiryu. What would you have done if I were naked?" Kaname reprimanded as he opened the bag, removing its contents; a nicely made bento with silverware, a canister of water, and a box of blood tablets.

Zero snorted, rolling his eyes, "Tossed you some clothes and then sit here while you got dressed? Get real, Kuran. You don't have a place to take a shower." Not that he needed it…he always smelled good. "You should appreciate my coming here _at all_."

Kaname ignored him, biting into the food Zero had brought him. It wasn't exactly what he would've liked to eat, but Zero had pointed out that if he had brought something "extravagant", it would raise suspicions. Which in turn had raised suspicions in Kaname; making him wonder if the hunter had poisoned his food. But he'd gotten past the point of sniffing it for poison when Zero had so kindly mentioned that if he wanted to kill him, he would've done so the first time he had brought him food to eat. But there were still some things that he was cautious of. Things being that Zero told Yuuki of his location or the hunter had brought other hunters to arrest him.

The two sat in awkwardly comfortable, and slightly tension elevated silence.

As Kaname dropped two tablets into the canister and took a sip, Zero spoke up. "She needs you, you know."

"No. She doesn't."

Zero scowled. "Yes, she does. You've left Yuuki, a pureblood who has just regained her memories of even _being_ a pureblood, alone. She's still trying to control her power and thirst. And she's stressed over your killing of Aidou-senpai's father and whatever the hell it is that you're doing to leave her alone. She's absolutely lost. Yuuki _needs _you, Kuran."

Kaname set the canister down, pinching the bridge of his nose. There went his peaceful evening… "Kiryu, I will not argue with you over this. Yuuki is a strong girl; she'll overcome this and move on."

"What exactly is it that you're doing?" Zero questioned.

"That is none of your business," Kaname retorted, much too quickly. While he desperately wished to tell the hunter of his plan to exterminate all purebloods, so he could protect Yuuki better in case of any threats against her, he wouldn't tell him. He didn't trust him on that level. He didn't trust anyone aside from Yuuki on that level.

The hunter sat in the chair, gripping the arm rests tightly, ignoring the fact that his knuckles were going white. He clenched his teeth, inhaling through his nose. _One, two, three_…

"Can I at least know why _I_ had to be dragged into this? Don't you have your vampire followers to help out with food and clothes?"

Kaname smirked. He knew that. But he had asked Zero for two reasons: because it wasn't as fun to ask the others to help him out – they'd do it willingly and because he knew the hunter would do anything when Yuuki came into the equation. But he'd never let Zero know that. "My _followers_ as you say are being watched."

Zero raised an eyebrow in question. "And you think I'm not? I'm a hunter slash ex-human. The Association is just waiting for the day I fall."

"Yes, but you don't have a connection to me."

Zero scoffed, feigning hurt, "So _protecting _you from those fan girls every morning and evening doesn't count as being connected to you? It's nice to know I exist."

Kaname allowed a small chuckle to escape his lips. Zero wasn't so bad after a while. Of course, he still very much disliked him, but it wasn't on the level of hatred anymore. In fact, it couldn't be. Technically speaking, he was putting his life in Zero's hands, so he couldn't exactly hate him for trying to help him.

Thinking back to the bento Zero had packed for him, Kaname grinned almost evilly.

"You'd make a great housewife, Kiryu."

Zero coughed, choking on his saliva. He shifted in his chair, slightly slouched over his knees as he coughed into his hand. When he lifted his head, Kaname was beaming, chuckling softly. Had really just said that? Had he really just called him a _girl_? Zero wiped his eyes, freeing them from the tears had built up in them.

"What the hell? Where did that come from?" He paused. "And if you _dare _to call me a girl again, I will not hesitate to shoot you."

Kaname jerked his thumb over to the empty bento box and canister. Yuuki hadn't lied when she said Zero made the best food in the Chairman's house. The boy was gifted.

"From now on, I'm just tossing it all in the bag. You'll have to eat like a dog," Zero hissed, but there was no trace of anger in it.

There was a pregnant pause as the vampires mulled over their teasing of each other. Had this been a year ago, they would've been at each other's throats. The room was no larger than one of the cellars below Cross Academy.

"You can't keep hiding here, Kuran. The hunter charms I set up around the building are going to wear off, and sooner or later they'll find you." Zero reminded.

Kaname sighed, "What's with this persistence? Do you miss having me around that much?"

Zero snorted, sputtering, "In your dreams."

"But you're right," Kaname agreed. He had to set his plan in motion before it was too late. Before Sara got around to it... "I'll be out by the end of the week."

Zero nodded, and shifted in the chair once more. He rested his head against the wall. He would've left, but the walk from there to his apartment was rather long, so he chose to stay a rest for a bit before going back. Someone would eventually notice his absence if he was gone for too long. He had almost been caught on the first night he had come to Kaname and then again on the third night. Kaito had his own apartment, but there were times when he would claim to have left his key at the office and he would need to stay with Zero. Zero knew, though, that the President – being Kaien – would send Kaito to check up on him.

Speaking of which… Kaito _had _mentioned something about visiting him sometime this week…

In a flash, Zero was out of his seat. He grabbed the bag with the container and the bento box.

Kaname flinched slightly at Zero's sudden flash of movement. An aroma that he knew so very well caught his nose, and he snatched Zero's arm, pulling the hunter back before he reached the door. The pureblood sniffed the hunter's jacket. Oh yes, it was what he smelled. He wrapped his arms around Zero tightly, nuzzling his face into his stomach, sniffing the hunter's body. How long had it been since he had smelled it – _her_?

"What the hell? Let go, Kuran!" Zero screeched. "I have to go!"

But Kaname shook his head, making Zero growl and reach for his Bloody Rose. "I said let go!"

"No!" Kaname argued, his voice muffled by the clothing. "You smell like sunshine… Like Yuuki."

Zero's struggling ceased. How did he smell that? Yuuki hadn't even been that close to him when they had spoken to each other. He sighed, "Kuran, I have to go…"

"Just let me…" Kaname licked his suddenly dry lips, looking up at the hunter with large wine colored orbs that made him look like a male Yuuki. "Let me do this…for a while. Please?"

Zero gulped. Had the pureblood always looked that innocent? He wanted to say no, but the replica of Yuuki's naïve and pure eye warmed his chest, making it hard for him to even think the word. "All right," he croaked slightly.

Kaname smiled and nuzzled his face into the hunter's stomach once more. It wasn't just the fact that he smelled like Yuuki. There was something hidden underneath her scent that had also lured Kaname in. It smelled of lilac and vanilla… but in a bittersweet way. He wondered what it was, but he didn't ask.

He just indulged in the scent that was Yuuki's and (though, he didn't know) Zero's, while Zero stood there awkwardly, occasionally patting – _swatting _– the pureblood's head.

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><p>PS. In case you're wondering if I'm new, I'm not; this is Calendula Requiem. I have just changed my pen name. I promise, promise, promise to never change it again. Besides, I really like this one, so I doubt I'll be changing it. :D<p>

PSS. Does anyone know how to write their pairing when it's friendship? o.o I know it's like K & Z, but since there's no actual top or bottom, does it matter? Is it okay to put K&Z/Z&K the way I did? o.o I'm soooo confuuused. D:


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